The Contribution of Shaikh Sharfuddin Ahmad Bin Yahya Maneri in Persian Literature: An Overview

Abstract

The current study will examine the contribution of Shaikh Sharfuddin Ahmad bin Yahya Maneri (1263- 1381) in Persian Literature: An Overview. He is one of those distinguish scholar who has left ineradicable impact on the Muslim world through his noteworthy contribution to Sufism and Persian Language. During his age Indian clerics and mystics have rendered various contributions in Madaris and Khanqahs (Monasteries). Especially in the Middle Ages when Persian flourished in Madaris and khanqahs was the dominant language in India. The scholars and Sufi saints of this era have written on interdisciplinary subjects in Persian language and have wonderfully increased the collection of books in Persian. During this era an important and well-known name among them is Sheikh Sharaf-ud-Din Ahmad bin Yahya Maneri who wrote several books in different subjects and topics in Persian. Makhdoom Shaikh Sharaf-ud-Din Ahmad bin Yahya Maneri (1263- 1381) who is popularly known as Makhdoom-ul-Mulk Bihari and Makhdoom-e-Jahan is one of the most prominent Sufi saint of Bihar India during 13^th and 14^th century. His longevity in the field of writing was memorable among his contemporaries. His life was committed to religious and mystical works, which stimulate many scholars for serving the cause of Islam and contribution to Islamic learning and mysticism. This study will shows how Makhdoom Bihari has greatly influenced his era through his preaching and teaching of Islam in the way of Sufism and how his writings made a great contribution in Persian Language through his books Irshad al Talibeen, Sharah Adab al Murideen, Fawaid al Murideen, ‘Aqaid e Sharfi, Mirat al Muhaqqiqeen, Rahat al Qulub, Maktubat e Sadi, Maktubat e Do Sadi, Fawaid e Rukni, and Maktubat e Bist wa Hisht etc. This will also shows How his inner state, belief and observation, the dominance of the da'wah, the spirit of sincerity and compassion, the purity of the soul and the purity of the heart, and with all this, good taste and command over language has given Shaikh Sharfuddin Ahmad a high literary position among his generation, he also has developed a consistent style of expressing his thoughts and feelings this is specific only to him. His writings have a special place not only in Persian literature but also in Islamic literature and throughout the immense knowledge and facts, da'wah and reform; there will only be few things that are unparalleled in the literature and influence of language.